Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad
grew up in a village in Moldova, Eastern Europe, and all summer long I tended my grandparents’ garden. Making a creamy cucumber-tomato salad with veggies I just picked from the garden was pure happiness. Believe me, nothing is more flavorful and aromatic in this world. This simple yet amazing salad is a must-try.
I love pairing this side dish with Grilled Pork Chops, Grilled Chicken Breasts, or Slow-Cooker Kalua Pork. Also, freshly baked sourdough bread or a baguette on the side is a must to soak up all the creamy dressing!
Table of contents
My grandmother loves serving this every time we visit her house during the summer. She always says that fresh ingredients make the best dishes. Crispy cucumbers are her favorite pick during this season. She likes to pair it with red, juicy tomatoes and a bit of fresh onion. I remember watching her prepare the salad dressing and how delicious it always turned out. Therefore, I followed her advice and turned it into this delicious recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
- Done in minutes: This delicious salad is ready to serve in less than 10 minutes—no marinating or special dressing required.
- Very refreshing: With crisp tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers, it is like enjoying vegetables right from the garden. Making it from scratch means they are fresh and in season.
- Basic ingredients: This recipe needs no special ingredients. All you need are basics like sour cream, yogurt, and some seasonings.
- Great for big gatherings: With just a few ingredients, this is an inexpensive way to serve a crowd. The best part is that it pairs so well with so many mains, like BBQ, burgers, ribs, or fish.
What you will need
- Produce: English cucumbers are best for this salad because they have fewer, smaller seeds, a sweeter flavor, and less water, so the salad doesn’t end up watery. Also, the skin is thinner, so I don’t even have to peel it. Cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters, hold their shape for meaty bites and release less liquid, keeping the salad from becoming runny. Thinly sliced red onions add a pop of color and a fresh, sharp crunch that isn’t too overpowering. Chopped green onions add a mild onion flavor that blends smoothly into the vegetables. Minced garlic adds a bright punch of umami to cut through the rich, creamy dressing.
- Wet ingredients: I use full-fat sour cream to ensure a tangy dressing that coats the vegetables with a velvety-smooth consistency. Instead of mayonnaise, I use Greek yogurt for less heavy fats and calories, a thick texture, and a bright, fresh flavor. Lemon juice brings out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and helps marry the ingredients.
- Seasonings: Besides salt and pepper, I add fresh dill for a bright, grassy flavor with a lively punch.
How to prepare
Mix the dressing: First, I mix the Greek yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, dill, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Then, I add salt and pepper to taste.
Make the salad: In a large bowl, I place the cucumber rounds, tomato wedges, and sliced onions.
Combine and serve: Toss the salad with the dressing, then garnish with dill and green onions before serving.
Expert tip
Avoiding watery salad
The most important thing to remember is to salt and drain regular cucumbers. They always have a lot of water in them. Toss them in a colander with a little salt and let them drain for 15 minutes so the salt pulls out excess water. Then, place them on a paper towel and pat them dry with another paper towel. You can also do this with English or Persian cucumbers, but they are not as good. Also, remove the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes. I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes because they have more meat and less juice.
More tips to consider:
- Use full-fat dairy ingredients for the creamiest dressing. Low-fat and fat-free dairy has more water, which makes the dressing watery.
- Don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to serve it. Otherwise, the vegetables will get soggy.
- Although you can serve the salad right away, I like to chill mine for 2 to 3 hours first to let the ingredients season.
- If you use regular cucumbers, peel them and remove the seeds.
- This salad is best eaten within a day or two. Although it will stay fresh for up to 3 days, the veggies may get soggy and release more water.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Add meat: Chopped chicken breast, turkey, ham, or bacon bits would be delicious in this salad.
- More vegetables: Why not? I sometimes toss in some chopped bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, avocado, and radishes.
- Fruit is good too: I also like to add fruits like blueberries, cranberries, cherries, pineapple, pear, and blackberries to this salad.
- More herbs and spices: My favorites are thyme, basil, paprika, cilantro, parsley, celery seed, and chives.
- Cheese: Who doesn’t love cheese in a salad? Cheddar is a good choice, but I also love feta, parmesan, mozzarella, and blue cheese.
- Make it crunchy: Add some sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or chopped nuts to make this salad crunchy.
Serving suggestions:
This creamy salad is the perfect beginning to a seafood dish like this one-pan teriyaki salmon. It takes just 15 minutes to cook this decadent fish, with its sweet, flaky layers after marinating. The rich, caramelized meat is so tender it melts in your mouth and pairs wonderfully with this creamy cucumber tomato salad. Paired with these ultimate twice-baked potatoes and oven-roasted asparagus, this is an impressive full meal.
If you’d rather have beef, this savory slow cooker red wine pot roast is cooked in a sweet red wine glaze that makes a gourmet gravy your family and friends will love. It is so easy because it takes just minutes to prepare, and I make it with carrots and potatoes so there is no need for side dishes. But for dessert, these cinnamon cream cheese cookies are a sweet, chewy treat that takes just a few ingredients and less than 30 minutes to make. And they’re more unique than the same old chocolate cake or ice cream.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Eat this salad within a few days. After that, the vegetables will get soft, and the dressing will get watery. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Freezing: Freezing is not recommended.
Frequently asked questions
If the cucumbers and tomatoes aren’t properly drained and dried, they’ll make the dressing watery and the whole salad soggy. The more juice in the salad, the soggier the vegetables will be. The longer the vegetables sit in the juices, the soggier they will get. If you add any other vegetables, remember to drain and pat them dry as well. Also, do not add the dressing until you’re ready to serve the salad.
If you use a different dressing, skip the Greek yogurt, sour cream, and lemon juice. Then add the salad dressing you like. Unless they clash with the dressing you’re adding, I would keep the dill and minced garlic because they add great flavor.
Using regular cucumbers instead of English or Persian cucumbers can make the salad bitter. These kinds of cucumbers can be naturally bitter. Most of that is concentrated in the peel, though, so peel it and remove as much of the green area as possible. First, slice off the ends before peeling it because this can cause the bitter oils to get into the rest of the cucumber. Taste a piece before adding it to the bowl.
I don’t peel my cucumbers. However, it depends on the type of cucumbers you’re using. I use English or Persian cucumbers, which have very soft, thin skin. Regular garden cucumbers have very thick skin that most people don’t like to chew because it is hard, waxy, and bitter. I would definitely peel them. If not for the taste, then to make them easier to chew.
More salads to try:
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Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers or 10-12 small ones
- 4 large tomatoes sliced into thin wedges
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Garnish:
- Green onion and dill
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir the dressing and set aside.
- Slice cucumbers into thin rounds or half-rounds if using larger cucumbers, then add to a large bowl.
- Slice tomatoes into thinner wedges and add to the bowl. Add thinly sliced onion.
- Before serving, mix the dressing into the salad to coat everything evenly.
- Garnish with dill and green onions.
- The salad will stay fresh for about 2-3 hours if refrigerated.
Video
Notes
Avoiding watery salad
The most important thing to remember is to salt and drain regular cucumbers. They always have a lot of water. Toss them in a colander with a little salt and let them drain for 15 minutes so the salt pulls out excess water. Then, place them on a paper towel and pat them dry with another paper towel. You can also do this with English or Persian cucumbers, but they are not as good. Also, remove the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes. I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes because they have more meat and less juice.More tips to consider:
- Use full-fat dairy ingredients for the creamiest dressing. Low-fat and fat-free dairy has more water, which makes the dressing watery.
- Don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to serve it. Otherwise, the vegetables will get soggy.
- Although you can serve the salad right away, I like to chill mine for 2 to 3 hours first to let the ingredients season.
- If you use regular cucumbers, peel them and remove the seeds.
- This salad is best eaten within a day or two. Although it will stay fresh for up to 3 days, the veggies may get soggy and release more water.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad is one of my favorite summertime salads. The next time I make it I’m going to try it your way. It looks so yummy and refreshing.
I have to admit I love salad but my husband’s usual dressing is getting a little boring. I love the fresh tomatoes and cucumber and the dressing a good change for us.
Yum! That salads looks like the perfect summer staple for any grilling picnic or BBQ. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll try it out!
I know I will love this salad. I’m a huge fan of cucumbers and tomatoes. I’ll be making this over the summer!
This looks like a great summertime food. I’ll have to make it for our next cookout.
This salad would make an excellent summer side. The creamy dressing sounds amazing too!
I love cucumber and tomato salad. I make it for all of our summer cookouts and family events.
That looks delicious! I’d love to make that this summer! I want to try a lot of fun summer recipes. I have a few recipes I want to try this weekend even.
My Grandma used to make a delicious cucumber salad similar to this one. Adding the tomatoes just sends it right over the top for me. Sounds terrific, we’ll be trying this one out soon.
OK now this sounds like an interesting salad – I have to admit I don’t play with making salads enough, I think I need to try as I am sure one day I will find one I really love!
Ohhh, this looks so delish! And perfect for a summer side. Saving for our BBQs!
This tomato cucumber salad is really creamy and delicious. Great side dish goes well with any thing.
This is so healthy and yummy! It’s perfect in the summer heat here.
Oh, yum! I can’t remember the last time I had eaten cucumber, but it is one of my favorites. Usually, we just slice it like that and dip in soy sauce.
This recipe just screams summer. Can’t wait to make it and give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Yummy salad! Cucumbers are a favorite in my family especially during the summer! I will try your salad recipe. Looks like a perfect side dish with grilled food.
This looks like a delicious summer salad! I’ll have to make it soon.
I am making this today. After all that fat I consumed this past week, I need something light, nutritious and of course, tasty. This cucumber tomato salad looks perfect for that!
I’ve been looking up new kinds of salads to make, so glad I found this one to try out.
I can’t get enough of this salad!